


Special Snowflake

by Plinycapybara



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Autism, Children, Family, Gen, M/M, SEALs, armin being a cutie, eruri - Freeform, eruri family, rivarmin - Freeform, wallists
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-21
Updated: 2014-05-21
Packaged: 2018-01-26 00:33:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1668209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Plinycapybara/pseuds/Plinycapybara
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Armin's existence was not the strangest thing about him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Special Snowflake

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN SNK. 
> 
> This fic is dedicated to my mother and all parents of those who have Autism. :)

Armin's existence wasn't the first or most strange thing about him.

 

No, the fact that he was the lovechild of Humanity's Strongest Soldier and the ruthless Commander Erwin Smith was not the first thing people commented on, believe it or not. The first thing people commented on was Armin's seal costume, complimentary of Petra who picked up sowing while recovering from an expedition. Seals were considered "taboo" subjects, being that they lived in the outside world, and the fact that Armin was obsessed with them didn't help Levi's already-awkward situation with the Military Police and the general public. Last time Armin was taken out in public a Wallist gave Levi the middle finger and spit on his cloak.

 

The corporal had the wash the Wings of Freedom twice before wearing it again. Ignorance is the worst scent to try to get rid of. Thankfully, Armin's younger siblings, Mikasa and Eren, were...a bit easier to handle in public. They were praised (by non-Wallists) as being "the next great warriors and hope for humanity". Eren showed off in public, while Mikasa topped his skill a moment later. It was almost a comedic routine. He even caught a few Wallists laughing at it. Mikasa and Eren lived with Erwin at the Survey Corps HQ. Armin had some sort of sensory issue where (ironically) he hated the sound of 3DMG being used. Armin also detested the smell of the gas.

Hence, Levi moved into a house in Trost with the boy.

 

Strapping on his boots, Humanity's Strongest looked up at his son. "I'm leaving for a few weeks. We're going outside of the walls. You know, the bigass piles of brick?"

 

"Um-hum." Armin smiled. "I...um, well...I'm going to visit Lady Freedom." Levi sighed.

 

Armin didn't really comprehend what the Survey Corps uniform met. When they said "the Wings of Freedom"--Armin thought it was the wings of someone who lived outside of the Walls. "I'll be back, don't worry. Eren and Mikasa are going to be staying with you. You know Farlan? The wounded old friend of mine? You like him, right? He'll be watching you." Armin's eyes lit up.

"I love Far-land!" Armin smiled.

"Well, he'll be here any moment. NO SURPRISES THIS TIME." Levi lectured. The last time he came back from an expedition, Armin had collected a bunch of old beer bottles and made a sculpture of a seal out of them. With Farlan's "help", he hung it in the living room. Levi kissed the boy's forehead as he said his last goodbye before today's expedition.

 

_"Why isn't he talking? Is he deaf?" Levi sat in Hanji's office. Armin was six at the time and had just began talking. Eren and Mikasa, who were both three at the time (being fraternal twins), had already begun speaking. "Do you realize what scandal would come from Humanity's Strongest and the Commander of the Survey Corps having a deaf child!?" "No, he can hear just fine."_

_"THEN WHY THE FUCK ISN'T HE TALKING!?" Levi asked._

_"...Levi, have you ever heard of Autism Spectrum Disorder?" Hanji asked._

_"Hanji, I came from the sewers of the Sina Underground. Does that answer your question?" Levi answered._

_"Its a neurodevelopment disorder. I actually have it, myself."_

_"WHY DOES THAT NOT SURPRISE ME--wait, WHAT!?" Levi's eyes opened. Of all the years he had known Hanji, she never mentioned "Autism" as a part of her life._

_"...You...have...what Armin has...?"_

_"I didn't start speaking until I was eight. I'm extremely high-functioning." Hanji smiled. "I guess that I tend to leave my personal life out of my work. I've always been...fascinated with Titans. Each one of them is different."_

_"...What about Armin, though? He's not going to be a titan-obsessed, glasses-wearing-" Levi was stopped by Hanji's finger. "If you know one person with Autism, you know one person with Autism. Armin could turn out completely different!"_

_"Then what's wrong with him?" Levi asked. "Nothing." Hanji grinned._

_"Something has to be! He isn't talking!" Levi exclaimed._

_"He's just wired differently than you and Erwin." Hanji smiled._

_"'Wired differently'?" Levi asked._

_Hanji smiled, "Its a piece of how he works, you know? How his brain functions? Its as normal as his blue eyes!"_

_"...Well, it had to come from somewhere!"_

_"Autism usually stems from the second or third trimester, when the brain cortexes are forming." Hanji stated. "...Is there anything you can do to help Armin function? I'm not asking you to make him Humanity's Hope like they call Eren and Mikasa...but just-"_

_"Well, behavioral therapy works." Waiting for the gate to open, Levi looked over at Hanji and Erwin._

 

 

"How's my Caspian seal?" the glasses-wearing scientist grinned.

"Getting some me-time away from taking car of Harp Seal," Levi answered.

Armin had come up with names for everyone based off of seals or aquatic animals. He was the Caspian Seal. Armin was a Harp Seal. Erd was the New Zealand Fur Sea Lion. The most accurate one being the Harbor Seal for Pixxis. The moment Rico looked at the picture Armin was showing her Commander the entire room burst out into laughter. Getting some breath of fresh air outside of the pig-pen humanity called the Walls, the cinder of the formation reached the Forest of Giant Trees. Using his 3DMG, Levi flew to one of the tree branches.

"Levi."

"Erwin?"

"I noticed that your KO track record has tripled in the past three years since Armin was diagnosed...a cadet just asked me what your secret is?" "...My secret?" Levi looked down at the faces of the titans scratching at the trees.

"I picture the titans being all of the people who mutter awful things about my Harp Seal."

"Huh." Erwin blinked as Levi skillfully took down three titans. He flew to another tree as he looked down at his next target.

 

"No one messes with Caspian Seal." Levi cringed.


End file.
